Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Harry Allen and Scott Hamilton: 'Round Midnight

We don’t hear true
traditional jazz much these days. When bop came along, its influence changed
almost everything: melodic lines, meter, chord structure and — most
significantly — the way the instruments were played. But not everybody
fell into the new ways. This album features a quintet of “traditionalists” who
take us back to the pre-bop
era, when swing was king.

Surprise! These guys are
younger than you might expect. Tenor sax player Harry Allen is in his mid-40s,
while tenor cohort Scott Hamilton is in his 50s. Pianist Rossano Sportiello is
just 40; bassist Joel Forbes is in his 50s; and drummer Chuck Riggs is the “elder
statesman,” in his 60s. Hamilton is the best known of the group, probably
because his early career included a stint with the Benny Goodman band. And
while these five guys have played together for many years, they’ve also worked
with today’s well-known musicians and vocalists.

Allen and Hamilton deliver
some of the smoothest, most beautifully toned tenor sax you’ll ever hear ...
and it’s hard to tell them apart at times. Their idols included the likes of
Ben Webster, Coleman Hawkins, Stan Getz and Zoot Sims: four of the best at that
instrument.

The rhythm section also is a
clone of the best who were heard during the Swing Era. You won’t be able to
keep your feet from tapping, or your fingers from snapping.

The album menu matches that
time period, as well. Most of the melodies will be familiar, and you’ll also
know the lyrics: “My Melancholy Baby,” “Baubles, Bangles And
Beads,” “Lover” and the album’s title
tune, the lovely “ ’RoundMidnight.” Everything
is danceable: even less familiar jazz standards such as “Great Scott” and “Flight of the Foo Birds.”

This is great
swing for at home, at a club, or in a dance hall. Whatever your generation,
this music is a joy to experience.